Long Forgotten
by Squidditch
Summary: Ron and Hermione haven't spoken since graduation. But can a five year reunion change all that? Real Ch. 3 up!
1. Dreams

Disclaimer: Not my characters! I love them dearly, but Mrs. Rowling created them before my pathetic mind even had a chance. (I worship you!!)  
  
  
  
Ch 1 Dreams  
  
  
  
Ron stared apprehensively at the closed door, the urge to open it intense, but a barrage of doubts threw him into a state of confusion.  
  
He knew who had knocked, and he knew what she wanted, but could he handle it? Could he open the door and look her in the face without his eyes reflecting the agony he felt inside? He slowly reached out and turned the handle, body on autopilot.  
  
His mind screamed. No! I can't see her yet; she can't see me like this. Please, I can't talk to her yet… just wait!  
  
But it was too late, the door was open. She lifted her eyes slowly off the floor, and a flash of guilt streaked across her face as she gazed at the unshed tears glistening in his sapphire eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, to tell her to leave him, but was quickly hushed when Hermione Granger took one large step toward him landing her as close as she could be without physically touching him.  
  
The sudden closeness between them made Ron's body react on its own, he felt his temperature rise a bit and his breath quickened. He put his hands on her hips, pulling her closer to him, trying to understand the complexities going through her mind. But Hermione's actions threw his thoughts again as she pressed her body close to his, tilting her head up to look into his face.  
  
Her lips parted slightly, and Ron felt his self-control melt away. The hunger in her nutmeg eyes lit a burning flame deep within his own. The distance between their faces began to shorten and Ron closed his eyes tingling with the anticipation of Hermione's warm lips meeting his own.  
  
But the sensation did not come. When he opened his eyes, he was on his back, staring at the ceiling above his king size bed. He sighed trying to untangle himself from the sheets knotted all around him. He had had trouble sleeping again. The night had been long and restless, and that dream didn't help.  
  
"Wow," he whispered. The memory of that fluffy brown hair all around him made him shiver. He hadn't even given a thought to Hermione in years. Not until yesterday that is. It was just yesterday after all, that Ron had received the strange letter. He remembered it clearly. The large brown post owl was very familiar. It had a sash around its neck with the seal on it that he remembered so well. The large H stared back at him as if it knew he had been hiding from it. He took the letter from the owl and tipped it about 5 knuts.  
  
The owl swooped out the window, a very dignified and professional air about it. Ron looked at the letter clutched in his hand. He set it on the table and left it to go take a shower.  
  
Upon returning, clean and freshly groomed, Ron picked the letter up again. He had not been successful in forgetting it so quickly. He slipped a shiny blade under the waxy Hogwarts seal and opened the bit of parchment.  
  
  
  
You Are Cordially Invited!  
  
On the date of August 23, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, your graduating class will be having a five-year reunion. Yes, five years has passed since your graduation and it's time to come back to see old friends and maybe mend broken relationships. So we hope to hear from you, as this is an RSVP situation.  
  
I leave you with one thought: Bubblesnap.  
  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
  
  
Ron smiled at the closing. Dumbledore was a genius. Best wizard in the world, despite his madness, he had always thought so.  
  
Then the point of the letter smacked him right in the forehead. "A reunion?" He groaned. That wasn't a very good idea. Not after what had happened on graduation day. He shook his head at the thought. No, he couldn't face them. It still hurt too much to think about. He wanted to attend, but knew that there was no way around the humiliation. Deep in thought and saddened by the useless opportunity to see his old friends, Ron apparated to work alone.  
  
* * *  
  
"I just don't like the idea is all." Hermione was raising her voice steadily. She didn't like to lose an argument, and this one wasn't going in her favor at all.  
  
"It would be good for you, honestly Herm, look me in the eye and tell me you're not curious," Leslie smiled causing Hermione to blush deeply.  
  
"But I…" the thought was left unfinished as she grinned widely at the thought of seeing Harry and Ron again. Before Hermione could think of another excuse, Leslie started in anew.  
  
"Besides, you need a vacation. It's only a reunion. Not a funeral."  
  
"I know." It was all she could do not to giggle at the thought of being back at the school again.  
  
"Well" sighed Leslie, "I hate to leave you with your thoughts, because I know what happens, but I really should head to the office." A quick nod was the only reply. Leslie continued. "But I'll be back by seven. Should we do dinner?" And again, a slight nod answered yes. "Ok then, if you get bored, the bathtub could do with a good scrubbing." She smiled and was relieved to see Hermione doing the same.  
  
"You don't have to worry Leslie," She smiled, "Like you said before, it's only a reunion. Nothing to fear." With that assurance, Leslie left Hermione to her mind's manipulations.  
  
Hermione could usually handle her mind's musings with ease, but today was different. That dream had been so realistic and pieces kept floating in and out of her mind.  
  
She remembered knocking lightly on a highly polished oak door, and holding her breath as if he would be able to identify her by the sound of that alone. And there she waited, for several minutes, the air thick with anticipation. But she could not turn away. And thank Merlin for that, because after what seemed like an eternity, she saw the doorknob jiggle a bit.  
  
The gentle creak of the hinge pulled her eyes off of the floor, calling her sweetly back to reality. She met his eyes and felt her heart break at the sight of him. His fiery hair framed his face perfectly, and then there were those freckles. She could still remember how much she had admired them when they were young. But they had dimmed a bit with time, causing the face around it look more responsible, and mature. But it was not anything on the outside that nearly made her heart cease to beat. It was his eyes. It killed her to gaze into those crystalline eyes and see unshed tears glazing over them, protecting against the hurt she knew was her fault.  
  
She had wanted to talk to him. To discuss, as adults, the events that had transpired between the two, but once standing with him, the words would not come. Instead, she took one step toward Ron, one tiny step she had wanted to take for so long. A step that took courage that even Godric Gryffindor would have been envious of.  
  
His scent was amazing, how could anyone ever smell so good? Respect, Kindness, and Trust mingled into a strong spicy, sweet aroma that made her want to confess to him everything within her heart. Before she could do so, electric shocks ran up and down her body as Ron placed his hands on her hips, pulling her closer.  
  
Instinct pushed her body to his and she looked up at his face, looking for a reaction to her advances. She parted her lips slightly as it was getting difficult to breath, being this close to him had always had this effect on her. Being this close to him was more than she ever could have hoped for. The feeling of his body pressed to hers was quickly weakening her legs and she closed her eyes in anticipation of his next move.  
  
And that's where it ended. That was all she had. She had opened her eyes to the sound of her roommate's version of singin' in the rain echoing loudly in the bathroom. It took everything she had in her not to evict the poor girl after that. The dream had been exquisite, but why Ron? She hadn't even heard from him in five years. And after he had left things the way that they were, she should never forgive him! She defiantly wasn't saying that she did, but she did know that the fleeting memory of his warm hands had the power to make her blush deeper than any other.  
  
  
  
A/N: I just thought I'd throw in here that this is my first fic ever. I'm VERY excited about it! I would love if you would review… but I'm not asking for it. ( So anyway, I hope you've liked the first chapter and yes, I plan to write more. (God willing) And also, I've never flamed anyone… so please, be gentle. I'm very fragile. 


	2. Scars

Disclaimer: I defiantly did not come up with this multi-billion dollar series of books. If I had, this story would NOT be online. Thanks for your wonderful world Mrs. Rawlings!  
  
(A/N) ok, my notes are going in the beginning this time. Thank you to my reviewers. All your comments are appreciated. And a HUGE shout-out to my wonderful beta-reader and best friend. Lady PC, I love you! Anyone who is a Harry + Hermione fan, (Gasp!) can go and read her story. It is titled, Crucible of a Magi, and I beta-read for her so we know it's perfect. Haha. Anyway, sorry it took me SOOO long to update, I got caught up with work and school. But only 58 days left till I graduate high school!!! YAY!! So I will update sooner this time. And please if anyone has any constructive criticism or thoughts on where I should take this story, send them to me. I don't want them at the reunion yet, but I don't want to fill time with crap either. But I'll figure something out. So until next time, enjoy chapter 2.  
  
Ch. 2 Scars  
  
A reunion? Harry had both dreaded and anticipated this ever day since graduation. He wanted so badly to see his friends, but knew it would take a lot of time for everyone to heal their wounds. The events of what was supposed to be such a happy day had hurt everyone. Luckily, some had forgiven, though no one forgot.  
  
He remembered each detail like it had been only yesterday. The entire scene still made him ill, and the wounds caused that day still ran deep.  
  
* * *  
  
"Harry?" Hermione leaned her head into the empty transfiguration classroom looking for her best friend. The burgundy and gold graduation tassel swung down from her pointed hat, and she quickly brushed it out of her face. "I didn't think you'd be here so soon." She blushed.  
  
"Well, it sounded important, the note you sent said that if I didn't hurry, you'd lose your nerve." He grinned. "What are you up to?"  
  
At this, Hermione began nervously twisting her robe in her hand. "Well, you know how things have been with me and Ron…?" She mumbled. Of course he knew. The two of them had been flirting on the edge of a relationship for seven years. Though neither would admit it, they both knew where they were heading. There had been so many near kiss situations and heart felt conversations that it made Harry nauseous. He smiled, nodding exasperatedly.  
  
"Well," she continued, a bit more at ease, having said the hardest part, "This is the last time that I will be with you two all day, and I uh…" She began to flush pink again. "I want to see what can happen with Ron, you know?" She lifted her eyebrows waiting for Harry's reaction.  
  
"Um… ok." He still didn't see how this involved him. Keeping in mind that he and Hermione had had their close moments too, there had even been times when he had wanted to put Ron out of the running and keep Hermione to himself, but she and Ron were meant for each other. He still wasn't sure of what he wanted, even now, and if Hermione hadn't said anything about Ron, he might have questioned her about a future for the two of them… but not now.  
  
She stepped closer to him looking anywhere but into his eyes. "But I wasn't sure of… you know, anyone else who might get hurt." Her eyes quickly flicked up to his face, then back to the floor.  
  
"What do you mean?" (A/N: I love Harry, but ALL guys can be dense at times right?)  
  
"Well, I know that uh, you and I… um… we have, well uh…we've become pretty close these last two years and uh… I kinda liked being close to you… and…well…" She sighed loudly. Her face brighter than any tomato he'd ever seen.  
  
His eyes widened. "Oh!" It dawned on him that she was talking about him. She was afraid that HE'D be hurt if She hooked up with Ron. "Listen Herm…"  
  
"Give me a minute." She cut him off raising her hand in the air. "Let me get this out." He recognized the new look on her face immediately. It was the look she got when she had to say something she had been dreading. It was the look she got when apologizing to Ron for… anything. "I really do like you very much and sometimes I think I might even love you, and it's just not logical to get something going with Ron if I think that I can't be totally committed. So I came up with a small experiment we could do, you know…to research what's here…" She gestured at the two of them, then added quietly, "if anything."  
  
Harry grinned "I see. And what exactly do you propose?"  
  
She looked at him and laughed silently. She hated how Harry could always be calm in creepy situations. Here she was, a nervous wreck, and Harry… the valiant knight. It was enough to make her puke. But as she calculated a way to turn the tables a smile played upon her lips.  
  
"We kiss." She said coolly, her eyes locking with Harry's. It worked.  
  
"Huh?" Harry squeaked, eyes as wide as saucers.  
  
"Come on Harry it's not that big of a deal is it? We've both done it before, just not with each other. I just think that if we kissed, and we felt something there, I could hold off on the Ron thing. But if it ended up feeling like a kiss from mum, I'll know what I need to do. It makes sense right?"  
  
Harry nodded a bit. He knew she was right and he actually thought the idea was an okay one. He had always wanted to kiss her anyway, here was his chance, but he was nervous. "O…Ok." He agreed.  
  
She smiled nervously. At least he was going along with this right? She took a tentative step towards him. As if on cue, their heads quickly shot towards each other, meeting somewhere in the middle with a sharp crack.  
  
"Ow!" Harry yelped grabbing his head.  
  
"What is it? Does your scar hurt!? Voldemort can't be here, can he!? She replied scanning the room frantically. Harry just stared at her blankly.  
  
"Hermione, your head collided with it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"My scar hurts because you head-butted me." He stated simply.  
  
"Oh, yeah that." She whispered, her face flushing with embarrassment.  
  
"So, you wanna try again?"  
  
"Huh?" she blinked.  
  
"The kiss Hermione, do you want to try it again? Please try to focus on our research." He mocked in a condescending tone.  
  
"Uh, yeah sure…" at this Harry put his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady so as to avoid the same painful encounter again. He stepped closer to her and gently put his lips on hers, but nothing happened. Where were the sparks? The shivers in his spine? There wasn't even the slightest flutter in his stomach, and he could tell by the lack of response from his partner, that he wasn't the only one not experiencing these sensations.  
  
Minutes slipped by as the two friends trying to maneuver some passion into the contact, but the attempts seemed futile if not annoying. Harry slipped one hand around Hermione's waist thinking that maybe if she was closer… maybe not. Meanwhile Hermione tilted her head in all directions making any attempt Harry made to deepen the kiss impossible. The result was not pretty, though it would have been quite entertaining to see. Flailing arms and funny noises complemented the pathetic scene perfectly.  
  
"Oi, guys where…" Ron stopped dead in his tracks quickly shrinking back behind the door frame when he realized they hadn't heard him. Maybe they would have been, if they weren't so… busy! His heart had stopped beating. Harry and Hermione? Kissing!? He could almost feel himself shatter inside. He had wanted to say something to her today, to tell her his feelings, but Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter who gets everything handed to him, Harry Potter, his supposed best friend, had gotten her first.  
  
The feeling of tears stinging his eyes compelled Ron to run for it. He dashed up the stairs into the sanctuary of Gryffindor Tower, it was the only place he could think of to go. His brain twisted and twirled the recent events over and over. How could they do this to him!? He loved her and Harry knew it perfectly well. The hurt transformed into anger which led Ron to a single conclusion.  
  
"Good-bye Hermione" Ron grunted under his breath. And with a last look at what had been his home for seven years, Ron left without a word to anyone.  
  
* * *  
  
The mere memory of those hours caused Harry to shiver. To this day he didn't know why Ron had never said good-bye. He wasn't angry, no, as a matter of fact, he still considered Ron his best friend. Ten years without someone doesn't make feelings change.  
  
As long as Ron was happy, that was all that mattered. He had heard from Seamus Finnigan a few years ago that Ron had landed himself in the United States for a while and was making himself quite a name there.  
  
Harry looked back at the invitation clutched in his hand and smiled. Would Ron show up at the reunion? He hoped against hope that the answer was yes. He needed to speak to his friend again. He needed the support that Ron had always given him. He needed his best friend back. 


	3. Preparations

Disclaimer: JK… chika, I love you!  
  
1 Ch. 3 Preparations  
  
A loud whistle rang through the room when Hermione opened the blinds, letting the sun fill her bedroom with the brightness of spring.  
  
"MMM honey… I want a piece of THAT! C'mon baby… don't leave my hangin here…" the cat-calls were followed by a low chuckle. Hermione spun around, staring at the large, elaborately decorated mirror mounted above her vanity and narrowed her eyes at it.  
  
"No baby, really… you are TOO sexy for your own good." It growled silkily.  
  
A wide grin crawled across her face. "Oh yeah?" She really did love her mirror; Harry had gotten it for her in New York City as a gag gift. It was supposed to make crude, degrading comments, but Hermione's mirror also tried very hard to make her feel sexy. And since there was no man in her life to do this, she promptly hung the mirror in her bedroom. Harry often brought it up, but she insisted that it was shoved in the back of her closet.  
  
"Really baby… what's the occasion?" a scarlet blush crept up her neck.  
  
"Nothing, just some shopping." The mirror smirked. (A/N I know I know…mirrors don't smirk, well her mirror does!)  
  
"Innocent shopping doesn't make a good girl blush like that."  
  
Hermione sighed, deeply irritated by her obviousness "Well, if you MUST know, I am shopping for the reunion. It's in two weeks and I am wardrobe- less." She quickly turned and stomped out of the room to avoid the mirrors reply, which echoed down the hall after her anyway.  
  
"Honey! Don't buy nothin' your momma wouldn't approve of!" Damn! He got the last word again! She really would have to stuff that useless chunk of glass into her closet one of these days!  
  
* * *  
  
She was never late! Harry looked at his watch nervously, what on earth was keeping her?! He pushed his empty glass to the bartender.  
  
"'Nother one sir?" Harry shook his head slightly.  
  
"No, I expect her to arrive any moment."  
  
The weathered man nodded as if he pitied Harry. "Yeah, they always do… just holler if you want another." Harry smiled, he could just imagine how many broken hearts came to this place to drown their pain with drinks. How ironic, that such a sad, broken place could be the doorway to such a wonderful world. Maybe that was why it held its allure. The hope that this rickety old bar provided, through the worn bricks of the back wall, was more than enough to get most back onto their feet.  
  
"Harry!" Hermione panted, finally spotting him in his current place at the bar. "I am so sorry. A woman in my apartment building had fallen down some stairs and there were medi-witches everywhere."  
  
"Yeah," he smiled, "likely story." He gazed down at his watch with a disapproving glare, "I have been waiting for FIFTEEN minutes. Do you know how important my time is?!"  
  
She grinned and threw her arms around her friend's shoulders. "It's been too long. We can't wait every three months to visit, but I am so glad we could do our reunion shopping together." She leaned closer to whisper in his ear, "I'll confess, I'm not very… um… up to date with fashion." Harry gasped, feigning shock.  
  
"The great Hermione Granger? Not knowing something?!" he grasped his chest over his heart, "Oh, it burns! It burns!!!"  
  
"Bugger off! Are we going to shop or not?" She snapped hastily. Harry just nodded his head as he followed her out the back door, turning to give one last smile to the bartender. The kindly man gave a single weary nod, but the gleam in his eye made it apparent that he was pleased to see someone who found what they were waiting for.  
  
* * *  
  
Ron vigorously brushed the soot from his navy blue robes and stepped swiftly out of the undersized fireplace. Once in front of the marble mantel, he straitened his body to it's full six feet two inches and stared around the delicate merchandise around him.  
  
A smile spread across his face as his eyes landed upon rememberalls, pewter cauldrons, shiny copper scales, and the newest, fastest broom on the market. Jars of glimmering stones and precious potions set importantly on high shelves where small hands could not reach them. Men and Woman wandered listlessly, mumbling to each other about each product they stopped to prod with their wands.  
  
Ron breathed in the aroma deeply, closing his eyes. Sweet cinnamon blended deliciously with wood shavings, incense, and saccharine tealeaves.  
  
Whirring and buzzing followed by the laughter of small children filled the air around him. How he loved this place. Diagon Alley had been one of his favorite places as a child and it had been so long since he had seen it. Under normal circumstances, he avoided this place for fear that he would run into old faces, but it was still the best place in the world for shopping.  
  
The reunion was fast approaching and there was no way he would be showing up in anything but the newest, most fashionable robes money could buy.  
  
He pushed his way out of the shop and squinted into the bright sun outside. Instinctively, he positioned his sunglasses over his azure eyes, and gazed around the cobblestone street.  
  
Everything was here just as he remembered it. Honeydukes with it's sticky sugary sweets, and Wizzy Wigs with it's exploding… well everything. Mr. Olivander's shop was still operating as strongly as ever, and Flourish and Blotts was sporting a long queue as Mrs. Collingstone was signing her new book, Mystic Mayhem.  
  
Each step he took flooded his mind with memories of a time when his biggest worry was that his grubby rat would die. Thoughts of his old friends, Quidditch, scarlet and gold, great feasts, and obnoxious poltergeists plagued him as he began to doubt his ability to stay in this place. His courage failed him and he turned around, intent on going home and forgetting the whole idea of this bloody reunion. He spun around quickly smacking into someone much smaller than him, someone that was now teetering out of balance and heading for the solid stone ground.  
  
He threw his arms around his ill-fated victim to avoid certain injury, only succeeding in making them stumble forward into his arms instead.  
  
The chaotic ordeal lasted no more than seconds, and when all was calm again, Ron began to take in the scene around him. He glanced to his left to see a very familiar face staring at him in wonder. Where had he seen those eyes, those glasses, that hair? That… scar? Panic swept through his body as he forced himself to look at the person in his arms. The bushy chestnut hair swung back as she looked up at her obstacle, and rescuer. He would recognize her anywhere. His stomach had known who it was before his brain had and it was now doing flip-flops double-time.  
  
Ron looked directly into the eyes of the one he had been trying to avoid for years. Ron looked directly into the eyes of Hermione Granger.  
  
  
  
A/N: well, there it is. Finally, I updated the story. I'm really sorry I am so slow. Senior year is such a bitch!!! But at least I'm trying.  
  
Well, I wasn't really expecting this to happen. They weren't supposed to meet until the reunion… but what can I say? I got a burst of inspiration. My beta-reader/ best friend almost crapped her pants. Her exact words: "THEY WEREN"T SUPPOSED TO MEET YET!!!" My response?: "Yeah, I know."  
  
Big shout out to Marauder's map for their great review! I love you guys. Everyone out there has to understand, reviews are like cocaine. Once you've had one, you need them, to survive! They give you a big high and you can be all carefree for hours. One difference. Cocaine: bad, Reviews: good!!  
  
So, in conclusion, sorry 'bout the wait, LadyPC's great. Marauder's map gets hugs, stay away from drugs! (Read it out loud. It rhymes.)  
  
Much love~ Squidditch 


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